Women and Power

I adore Mary Beard’s latest book Women and Power. It’s a slim volume but that makes it the perfect size for Mary to keep you gripped to the edge of your seat as she compares sexism in modernity to that of the ancients. In one glorious passage she writes:

We have to be more reflective about what power is, what it is for, and how it is measured. To put it another way, if women are not perceived to be fully within the structures of power, surely it is power that we need to redefine rather than women?

If you’re unfamiliar with Mary’s work then you might like to check out her delightful documentary series about ancient Rome first. This is only because I think Mary Beard is to the ancient world as David Attenborough is to the natural one; a truly delightful story teller.